1 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. God is telling Hosea that remember, God told Hosea to marry a harlot, they have 3 children, then she leaves Hosea for another man who gives her the finer things in life (she's a high-maintenance chick). After a period of time, God tells Hosea to go take her back. Remember, Hosea represents God and the harlot represents Israel. Israel has fallen out of fellowship with God and God wants her back even though she's left Him for the finer things in life, gone after other gods and have dishonored Him. “Flagons of wine” should be “cakes of raisins” in the Hebrew. These were special cakes made as offerings to the false gods. God does things in His own way, in His own time, and with His own means. We are not to question Him; just accept and believe.
2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: notice the price he pays; it's less than the price of a slave. Slaves cost 30 pieces of silver. Barley was used to feed slaves and animals. This guy she's living with thinks this is a great deal.
3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. Here are the conditions Hosea tells her that she has to live under: you will stop worshipping false gods, you will stop running to other men. He's telling her he bought her for less than the price of a slave – that's how much that guy thought of her. You... |
